ChaNee's Weekend Movie Recommendations
Korean Edition
Do you find yourself getting excited when your obsession for foreign dramas or movies crossover with your passion for reading? Well my fellow "readaholics". Don't fret! There is an abundance of films and movies that are adapted from mangas, webtoons, and comics, but there are also those golden chances that some of our most loved were first penned to paper in an actual novel. That is my preferred choice to reminisce and dig deeper into the lives of my favorite characters.
So get ready to dog ear some pages and place a favorite bookmark to hold the page while you are certain to see me spill coffee while I get pulled into a fantasy of a story.
Coffee Prince
The First Shop of Coffee Prince
Go Eun Chan is a 24 year old woman that is often mistaken as a guy because of her tomboyish appearance, and demeanor, and Choi Han Kyul is an irresponsible chaebol, who is love with a girl he has never dated. Unbeknownst to Han Kyul that Eun Chan is actually a girl, when they meet he decides to hire her as his gay lover to ward off unwanted blind dates that are arranged by his grandmother.
The drama stars Yoon Eun Hye (Go Eun Chan), Gong Yoo (Choi Han Kyul), Cha Jung An (Han Yoo Jo) and Lee Sun Kyun (Choi Han Sung) as leads with supporting cast Lee Eon (Hwang Min Yeop), Kim Jae Wook (Noh Sun Ki), Kim Dong Wook (Jin Ha Rim), and Kim Chang Wan (Hong Gae Shik)
The First Shop of Coffee Prince also known as Coffee Prince was adapted from the novel of the same name by Lee Sun Mi. It was released in 2006 and made into one of the most beloved Korean Dramas in 2007. The drama aired on MBC from July 2 to August 28 and ended with an overall 24.2% national average.
The book has been released in several languages including English.
Thirst
Bakjwi
Sang Hyun is a Catholic priest who is known for his devout faith and service to God and his parishioners. He decides to volunteer for an experimental testing to find a cure for a deadly virus to which he is infected, but makes a miraculous and quick recovery after receiving a blood transfusion. After returning home with the news spreading of his recovery, Sang Hyun is sought after for his “healing” powers and connects with his old friend Kang Woo. He is introduced to his friend's wife, Tae Ju and soon begins a torrid and very dangerous love affair.
The movie stars Song Kang Ho (Sang Hyun), Kim Ok Bin (Tae Ju), and Shin Ha Kyun (Kang Woo) with a host of supporting actors but most notable, Kim Hae Sook as Lady Ra. Kang Woo's mother.
Thirst was loosely adapted from the French novel, Therese Raquin by Emile Zola that was originally published in 1867. The South Korean movie version was released on April 30. 2009 and directed by Park Chan Wook, one of the most notable directors to date and best known for the movie Old boy. The movie was a critically acclaimed hit and become the 9th most attended film of 2009.
Therese Raquin has been released in several editions including Korean and English.
Best Wedding
The Greatest Marriage
Cha Gi Young is an ambitious and nationally beloved anchorwoman who is at the top of her game and is in competition with her rival, the other elite anchorman, Jo Eun Cha. Gi Young is dating the son of a chaebol group, Park Tae Yeon, who forgoes the family business and attends culinary school and then becomes a reporter who covers food and lifestyle news.
Marriage isn't in the plans for Gi Young and Tae Yeon but an unplanned pregnancy throws a loop in their plans. Park Tae Yeon doesn't want to take responsibility for a baby but Gi Young decides to have the baby and become a single mother. Her choice leads to unexpected repercussions in her career and in her social status.
The Greatest Marriage stars Park Si Yeon (Cha Gi Young), Bae Soo Bin (Jo Eun Cha), No Min Woo (Park Tae Yeon) and Uhm Hyun Kyung (Hyun Myung Yi).
Not actual book cover
This drama was adapted from the novel, Best Wedding by Jung Yi Joon and aired on TV Chosun from September 27 2014 to December 27. 2014 with a national rating of 1.92% for a cable channel.
I have had the most difficult time trying to find additional information about this book but I haven't had any look. You know it's bad when you search the Korean search engine “Naver” and can't seem to find anything, if any fellow MDLers can find extra info please feel free to contact me.
Elegant Lies
Thread of Lies
Single mother, Hyun Suk lives with teenage daughters. Man Ji, the oldest and 14 year old Cheon Ji. They are a close knit and happy family, or so it seems, until Cheon Ji commits suicide. Not understanding why, Man Ji decides to investigate and question Cheon Ji's “friends”. Through her investigation, she finds herself struggling internally to understand her own relationship with her sister and with her mother. Just when it gets too hard, she finds a message left by Cheon Ji in a ball of red knitting yarn and sets out to find more hidden messages.
Kim Hee Ae stars as the single mother, Hyun Suk, Go Ah Sung as Man Ji, Kim Hyang Gi as Cheon Ji with a great supporting cast. Kim Yoo Jung (Hwa Yeon), Yoo Ah In (Choo Sang Bak), Sung Dong il (Kwak Man Ho), Chun Woo Hee (Mi ran), and Yoo Yeon Mi (Mi Ra)
Thread of Lies was adapted from 2009 best selling novel, Elegant Lie, by Kim Ryeo Ryeong . The movie was released on March 13, 2014 to critical acclaim and took the #1 spot at the box office and held on to that spot for six weeks. From what I found, Elegant Lie has only been published in Korean, I could be wrong.
If you know of any recent dramas or movies that have been adapted from novels and or interested in joining a book club, please visits my profile @ChaNee
Wanting to write "General Articles" for MDL, please contact @Aya97
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